The invention relates to a deformable small packaging structure for free-flowing products, having a valve-like closure produced by a two-component injection molding process and including a dimensionally stable carrier element and an outer jacket which envelopes the carrier element at least in part and has a flexible squirt-nozzle with slotted openings.
The small packaging structure involved here is normally manufactured from a suitable plastic so that it can be squeezed together by hand to allow the product to be pushed through the valve-like closure.
When a sufficient quantity has been dispensed, the small packaging structure relaxes to return to the original shape. Small packaging structures involve preferably tubes, bottles, and the like. The closure is configured in such a manner as to open, when pressure is applied onto the product, and to spontaneously close again, after this pressure decreases. Moreover, the closure is designed so as to allow the product to be squeezed out from the small packaging structure in controlled doses. Products involved here include foodstuff in the form of condiments, for example mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, and the like.
The dimensionally stable carrier element is firmly placed onto the small packaging structure. The squirt-nozzle of the outer jacket is then located within this carrier element. Depending on the configuration, the carrier element is secured either on the neck of the small packaging structure or on the closing flap. It is further still possible to place onto the small packaging structure a cap closure which surrounds at least the outer jacket. This cap may be configured as screw cap, but may also be placed over the upper neck of the small packaging structure under elastic deformation. In these cases, the screw cap is provided with an opening which can be closed by a flap so that the user has to open this flap before dispensing the content from the small packaging structure.
Although the afore-described embodiment of the closure has proven itself, it still requires a fairly large free space in order to be able to transfer the squirt-nozzle into the position that clears the openings.